← 2 Sep Thursday 3 September 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 4 Sep →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
28,764 stories about harm· Trends· Every past day

We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.

How to read these numbers →

The day's news pointed at protests in Lisbon (Portugal), arrests in Cambodia and illness in Moscow. Russia's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 58 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostBelize 84 in 100 of its 91 stories, usually 32
RegionEvery region about as usual
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Portugal

27 of its 99 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. 10 of Lisbon's 14 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (12 stories). Wildfires were named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Portugal over 30 days → its stories → Lisbon stories →
Rights & justice

Cambodia

37 of its 64 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories). Hunger was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Cambodia over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Russia

543 of its 1,137 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Moscow accounted for 316 of Russia's 543 stories about harm, carried by 582 outlets. Wildfires were named in 18 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with heatwave. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Russia over 30 days → its stories → Moscow stories →
Disasters & accidents

Belize

76 of its 91 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Belize City accounted for 56 of Belize's 76 stories about harm, carried by 139 outlets. Heavy rain was named in 22 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with flooding.

Belize over 30 days → its stories → Belize City stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Bulgaria

34 of its 94 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. 27 of Sofia's 29 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 8 times the usual rate (21 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Sri Lanka

99 of its 218 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (26 stories). Accidents were named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

its stories →
Health

Libya

40 of its 71 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Outbreaks were named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Slovakia

19 of its 42 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. 5 of Bratislava's 10 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Norway

45 of its 139 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (18 stories). Measles was named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Iran

68 of its 155 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (14 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: natural hazards in North Korea (12 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); measles in Norway (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); outbreaks in Libya (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); tropical storm in South Korea (24 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); earthquake in New Zealand (20 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 29; 27 the day before
32 in 10027 in 1005 Aug12 Aug19 Aug26 Aug3 Sep5 Aug: 29 in 1006 Aug: 29 in 1007 Aug: 29 in 1008 Aug: 31 in 1009 Aug: 32 in 10010 Aug: 29 in 10011 Aug: 29 in 10012 Aug: 28 in 10013 Aug: 28 in 10014 Aug: 28 in 10015 Aug: 29 in 10016 Aug: 31 in 10017 Aug: 28 in 10018 Aug: 27 in 10019 Aug: 28 in 10020 Aug: 27 in 10021 Aug: 28 in 10022 Aug: 30 in 10023 Aug: 31 in 10024 Aug: 29 in 10025 Aug: 28 in 10026 Aug: 29 in 10027 Aug: 29 in 10028 Aug: 29 in 10029 Aug: 30 in 10030 Aug: 31 in 10031 Aug: 29 in 1001 Sep: 27 in 1002 Sep: 27 in 1003 Sep: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 3 Sep. The big dot is this day; the shaded band is a normal day (the 30 days before it). Click a day to open it. Based on 28,764 stories about harm among 105,406 counted on 3 Sep.

Read the day's briefing

In Belize's news, mentions of heavy rain ran about 7 times their usual. A year earlier, on 4 September 2019, 23 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 27 today. Portugal's news was 27% about people being harmed, against a usual 18%. of the day's 105,406 news stories, 27 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 29.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Belize84 in 100 of its 91 stories · usually 32 · mostly disasters & accidents Ethiopia67 in 100 of its 60 stories · usually 47 · mostly health Syria66 in 100 of its 95 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence Rwanda64 in 100 of its 61 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence Lebanon60 in 100 of its 281 stories · usually 69 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Kenosha US405 stories about protests or strikes, of its 503 Washington US291 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1291 Rochester US133 stories about protests or strikes, of its 161 Portland US107 stories about protests or strikes, of its 142 Moscow Russia67 stories about protests or strikes, of its 316

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: about as warm as its own usual or lessZambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessVietnam: about as warm as its own usual or lessVenezuela: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto Rico: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited States: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle of Man: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited Kingdom: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited Arab Emirates: about as warm as its own usual or lessUkraine: about as warm as its own usual or lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTurkey: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Africa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomalia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: about as warm as its own usual or lessSaudi Arabia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: about as warm as its own usual or lessRussia: about as warm as its own usual or lessQatar: about as warm as its own usual or lessPortugal: about as warm as its own usual or lessPoland: about as warm as its own usual or lessPhilippines: about as warm as its own usual or lessPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessNigeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiger: about as warm as its own usual or lessNicaragua: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Zealand: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: about as warm as its own usual or lessNamibia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMozambique: about as warm as its own usual or lessMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: about as warm as its own usual or lessMali: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalaysia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalawi: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: about as warm as its own usual or lessKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: about as warm as its own usual or lessKazakhstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJapan: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsrael: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: about as warm as its own usual or lessIreland: about as warm as its own usual or lessIraq: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndonesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndia: about as warm as its own usual or lessIceland: about as warm as its own usual or lessHungary: about as warm as its own usual or lessHonduras: about as warm as its own usual or lessHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: too little coverage to readGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGermany: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFiji: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl Salvador: about as warm as its own usual or lessEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: about as warm as its own usual or lessCzech Republic: too little coverage to readN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: about as warm as its own usual or lessCongo: about as warm as its own usual or lessComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: about as warm as its own usual or lessChina: about as warm as its own usual or lessHong Kong: about as warm as its own usual or lessChile: about as warm as its own usual or lessChad: about as warm as its own usual or lessCentral African Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: about as warm as its own usual or lessCameroon: about as warm as its own usual or lessCambodia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMyanmar: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrazil: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelarus: about as warm as its own usual or lessBarbados: about as warm as its own usual or lessBangladesh: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzerbaijan: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustralia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArmenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessArgentina: too little coverage to readAntigua & Barbuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: about as warm as its own usual or lessAfghanistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessAksai Chin: about as warm as its own usual or lessGaza: about as warm as its own usual or lessWest Bank: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: warmth about its own usualTunisia: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about its own usualMongolia: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualJamaica: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualBahamas: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualSirte, Libya -- health: 14 stories, carried by 17 outletsSpringdale, US -- health: 19 stories, carried by 97 outletsTowie, UK -- health: 17 stories, carried by 18 outletsNew Jersey, US -- health: 20 stories, carried by 20 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 19 stories, carried by 16 outletsDarfur, Sudan -- health: 13 stories, carried by 15 outletsCalgary, Canada -- health: 26 stories, carried by 54 outletsDoncaster, UK -- health: 29 stories, carried by 24 outlets
Warmer than its own usual The warmest eventsAbout as warm or lessToo little news

Each country shaded by the warmth in its news — care, help, gratitude — against its own last 30 days. Stronger colour: further above. Dots: the events whose coverage carried the most warmth, even where the event itself began as harm. Warm words, not good outcomes. Click a country or a dot.

Warmest news

No country's news was much warmer than its usual (a quarter or more).

Warmest events

● Sirte Libya about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Springdale US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories ● Towie UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● New Jersey US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories ● Jammu Kashmir about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 19 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health58% 16,506 stories · more than usual (usually 55%) Rights & justice18% 5,215 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 2,785 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence6% 1,630 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 1,029 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 687 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 357 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 296 stories · about as usual

Of the stories about people being harmed, what part of life each was about. The mark is usual.

Harm reported 30 days →

Stories reporting people killed7,132 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,343 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,073 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,206 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Lebanon Stories reporting evacuations153 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and South Korea Stories reporting refugees139 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions128 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced91 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill40 at about the usual rate

Stories that report it, not people: we count what reporters wrote, not what happened.

How it felt 30 days →

harshwarm

The words in the day's stories were about as usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout as usual
● Fearabout as usual

From the words reporters used across the whole day, never one story. Fear is the weakest of the four measures. How?

The weekly briefing · 19 Oct – 25 Oct

The week in human impact

Read the week →

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How to read these numbers →

These are counts of stories, not counts of suffering. Most of what happens to people is never reported at all.